The Story of my life
by Dax1
Summary: Piper find an old book and gets "caught up" in it...


This is my very first fanfiction story and I'm very proud of it

This is my very first fanfiction story and I'm very proud of it. I hope you like it and I would appreciate feedback at [SandieDax@mail.dk][1]

Charmed.

__

The Story of my life.

"Prue, Piper… Get up here now."

Phoebe's voice rang through the old Victorian house waking Piper from her slumber. The call had come from the attic and by now she knew what that meant.

She quickly got out of bed and threw on her robe. In the hallway she ran into Prue who was also on her way up to see what the racket was about.

"Phoebe, what is it?"

When they entered the attic they saw for themselves what was going on. The old book in the middle of the room was flipping pages in mid air.

"The Book of Shadows, it's doing it again." 

Piper sighed to herself. The last couple of weeks had been pretty quiet. No demons, no warlocks, no ghosts or strange people trying to kill them. Just nice quiet quality time with Leo and her sisters. Now it looked as though the Wicca holiday was over and Piper felt a bit sad about that.

"Uh, it stopped… You read it Prue, I don't have my glasses here."

Prue stepped around to stand behind her youngest sister. She frowned as she studied the page.

"Creativity spell… What, they don't think we're creative enough."

Piper was impatient. It was three in the morning. She wasn't feeling very creative and she had no desire to change that.

"What else?"

"Nothing else. Apparently it's just a spell to unleash your creative side, that's it."

"Great. Then unless you have some burning desire for us to learn how to make gift baskets in the middle of the night, I'm going back to bed…"

Piper turned around and left the attic. Demon alert was of, and she could still manage to get in a couple of hour's sleep before she had to go to work.

* * *

Phoebe hadn't been able to sleep after she got back to bed. She kept thinking about the book. Usually when it did something like that it was for a reason, to warn them about something. But she had to admit that even she couldn't see how a creativity spell fit into that.

She had tried to put it out of her mind but couldn't. Finally she gave up on sleep and went back to the attic. She went through the book from cover to cover trying to find something to connect a creativity spell to some sort of demon. No luck. She woke as the soft aroma of fresh coffee entered her nostrils. Temporarily confused by the fact that she had dozed of, she put the book back in it's place and trotted downstairs. In the kitchen she found Piper reading the paper and drinking coffee. Phoebe went on a direct course for the coffee-pot hoping that the hot beverage would clear up the lingering fog in her mind.

"Morning Phoebs."

Morning…"

"God, you look awful. Didn't you go back to bed after that incident in the attic?"

"Yeah, but I couldn't sleep. So I decided to look for some demonic connection to the creativity spell."

"And?"

"Nothing…"

"I'm not surprised… Well, I would love to stay and chat, but I have to get to P3 early to sign for some deliveries."  
"Oh, okay. Where's Prue?"

"She already took of on some assignment. What about you, don't you have classes this morning?"

"Not until noon."

"Why don't you try and get some sleep then… I gotta go, bye."

"Bye…"

When Piper left, Phoebe refilled her coffee and went back upstairs. She had just intended to get some sleep like Piper had suggested, but instead she had just kept on walking until she reached the attic. This thing just would not leave her mind.

* * *

It was a beautiful morning in San Francisco and Piper enjoyed the fresh breeze that came through the rolled down window of her black station wagon. The radio was playing a happy tune and strangers passing by were smiling at her.

Everybody seemed to be in a good mood this morning. Something in the distance caught her eye. A garage sale. Normally she wouldn't stop for something like that, but why not really? She was making good time, she could stop and take a peek. After all, looking didn't cost her anything but a bit of time she had to spare anyway… So on an impulse she pulled over and stepped out of her car. A few people were browsing as they were passing by. A little girl was tugging at her moms dress trying to get her to buy her a porcelain doll. Piper strolled past them and smiled to herself as she heard the girls insistent pleas.

A splash of colour in the corner of her eye directed her attention to a box at the end of the long display table. She went to study the item that had caught her eye.

It was a tall drinking glass decorated with stunning colours in different patterns. Never in her life had she laid eyes on such a beautiful glass. She looked in the box and found two more just like it. Three drinking glasses, perfect for their household.

"Beautiful aren't they?"

Piper looked up to face a young woman with long blond hair fixed in a braid and very intense blue eyes.

"Yes, very. How much are they?"

"100 dollars."

"100 dollars for three glasses?"

"No, for the whole box."

"But I only want the glasses."

"They are not for sale separately. I am selling the box for someone else, and was told only to sell everything or nothing."

Piper considered this for at moment. A 100 dollars was a lot when she really only wanted the glasses. But besides, who knew what else was in that box? She might find some other good things. And how often did she really indulge in something exquisite for herself? She really wanted those glasses…

"Okay. I´ll take the box."

* * *

The delivery signing at P3 had not taken long. And after she had attended to some paperwork Piper had left a note for her new assistant manager that she was taking the day of, and that she could be reached at home if there was trouble.

Piper was eager to get home and check out her newly purchased box and unveil whatever it might hold… 

At the front door she put the big box down in order to unlock the door. After that she picked it up again and pushed the door shut with an awkward push of her hip. At times like this she wished she had Prues power. She comforted herself with the thought that if she dropped the box she would be able to save it with her own power…

"Prue, Phoebe. Anyone home?"

There was no answer and the house was still, so she assumed she was alone. Phoebe must have left early because it was only 20 minutes past ten.

Piper carried the box into the kitchen and put it down on the counter. She carefully took out the drinking glasses, cleaned them and put them in the cupboard. After that she went back to the box and started to unpack the rest of the items in it. This was exciting, just like Christmas. She had no idea what she would find.

There were a number of books in the box, an old cookbook among them. Piper flipped through the pages and found many interesting recipes, some in the back were even hand-written. Perhaps this box had been worth the price she had paid anyway…

At the bottom of the box she found a jewellery chest. It contained a beautiful hair clip, some earrings that were not really her style and a silver necklace with a round, blue pendant on it. It was very simple and yet beautiful, and Piper put it on without a second thought. The contents of this box were certainly worth more than a 100 dollars, of that much she was sure by now.

She sorted through the rest of the box quickly. It mostly contained books and she put them in a separate pile. Other than that and the glasses it contained a couple of scarf's that Prue might like, some obviously home-made candles, two long silver candleholders, other hair ornaments and of course the jewellery chest. All in all a pretty good buy. 

The books in the pile looked very old. Piper looked through them and found several old novels, the cookbook and what appeared to be a children's storybook.

The last book in the pile was not marked. It was a semi-large, tick brown hardcover book. From the looks of it, this was the oldest and most used of them all. Piper opened it to page one and was very surprised at what she found.

_6. August 1842._

Dear Diary.

This is my first entry. I am not normally a person to keep such a log. But over the last couple of days my life has changed so drastically that I feel the need to record these events for posterity.

A diary? Piper closed the book. Wasn't this like invading someone's privacy? On the other hand the date did say 1842, so odds were that whoever wrote this was dead by now. So that would make it sort of okay. Piper opened the book and read on…

__

It still feels like a very long dream that I am waiting to wake from. My life turned around so quickly I don't know where to start. The beginning seems like a good place, but I am not sure where it all began. I think the fire was the first clue. Yes, that was it…

* * *

"Damn moviestars, think they're better than everyone else."

Prue slammed her car door shut behind her. She had just stormed out of studio 42 half an hour earlier. Some arrogant actor had stood her up for a photo shoot. She had waited there for almost two hours before she had called her editor and he had given her permission to split. Prue hated being stood up, both professionally and privately.

Well, at least her photo shoot earlier this morning had been a success, she comforted herself as she entered the Manor. The only thing she had to do now was to develop the good film and get it back to her boss before the deadline. Shouldn't be a problem.

"Anyone home?"

"In the Kitchen…"

What was Piper doing home? Wasn't this usually a busy day at P3? Maybe something was wrong with her, maybe she was sick, Prue thought as she went into the Kitchen. When she got there Piper was sitting at the counter reading an old book. And she did not look sick.

"Piper? What are you doing home, I though you had to work."

"Took the day of…"

"Just like that?"

"Yes…"

Prue grabbed an apple and took a bite out of it. She looked around, the kitchen counter was full of books and other stuff. And in the corner was an empty box.

"What's all this?"

"Hmm…"

Piper was so caught up in the book she hardly paid Prues remark any notice.

"All this stuff, what is it?"

"Oh… I bought a box."

"You what?"

"I bought a box, at a garage sale."

"You bought a junk box… Why?"

Piper finally looked up from the book. She put the book down on the table and fixed Prue with a serious gaze.

"It's not junk, there's some really great stuff in there."

"Whatever you say."

Prue looked around the table at the things there. She did see some scarf's that she liked, and they could always use candles in their household. Piper was back in the book, she was really into it and that made Prue curious. Usually the only time Piper found time to engulf herself in a book was when she had to research something in the Book of Shadows. And that was mostly Phoebes gig… Prue took a bite out of her apple again, it was sour but she was hungry. 

"What u reading?"

No answer. This was really getting on Prues nerves. She hated it when people didn't pay attention.

"PIPER?"

Piper looked startled. But she did put the book away and turned her attention to Prue.

"What? You don't have to shout at me!"

"Apparently I do. I asked you what you were reading?"

"Oh… It's an old diary from 1842. And it's really interesting too…"

"It would appear so. 1842 you say, that's quite old. Did you get it from the junk box."

"Yeah. It was hidden all the way in the bottom under all the other books. I haven't been able to put it down."

"So… What does it say, anything juicy in there?"

"Well, the woman writing this is named Lisa Emmerick. And Prue… I think she was a witch…"

"What? What makes you say that?"

Piper picked up the book again and flipped back through the pages until she found what she was looking for. 

"Here, listen to this…"

__

"I feel different. All these strange things are happening to me and I don't know where they are coming from. I think I started a fire in the fireplace with just the touch of my hand, but that couldn't be… I mustn't let anyone know about these things, I would be an outcast…"

"That doesn't prove anything, maybe she imagined the thing about the fire. Maybe she was crazy…"  
"No, I don't think so… Listen, it goes on…"

__

"Mother always said I was special, but I never knew what she meant. I have been remembering more and more from my childhood lately. I think that maybe my mother had some of these special powers as well, but most of my memories of her are blurred.

Could it be that these powers mean that I am a… No, I must not write the word, it is dangerous. I will just ignore it…

Piper stopped reading and looked up at Prue.

"Well?"

"Okay, maybe you're right, sounds a bit witchy to me."

"Prue she was a witch, I'm sure of it. And she had active powers…"  
"So…"  
"So maybe she was related to us in some way."

"Does she mention the Book of Shadows in there?"

"No, but I'm not that far yet…"  
"Okay… You just keep reading, I have to get these photos developed. Give me a shout if you find anything important."

"Will do…"

* * *

Phoebe usually liked the social studies classes. But her earlier lack of sleep was getting to her and she kept drifting of against her will.

"Miss Halliwell ! ! !"

"Yes, what? I'm awake."

"It didn't look that way a minute ago. But if you say so I believe you. Maybe you could refresh our memories on what I was just saying."

"Ehh yes, yes of course I could… You were saying how the social decline in our society and lack of effort in our educational system has severely affected the growing criminal activity in out youth…" 

Phoebe looked up at her professor and smiled sweetly hoping against all odds that she had hit the mark.

"Not even close… But nice try miss Halliwell, very nice try. Oh, and try to stay awake from now on, okay?"

"Okay!"

Phoebe slid down in her chair embarrassed by the muffled giggles around the room. Granted, it had been a long shot, but it always worked for the kids in South Park. But then again that Mr. Garrison was a lot more predictable.

With a lot of effort she managed to stay awake for the remainder of the class. After that she headed straight home, she could hear her bed calling out for her…

* * *

__

"… I have accepted that I have powers now, granted. But I am not willing to expose myself to anyone about it just. I have to think about my daughter too after all, this could affect her as well. She has been showing signs of having powers as well. So chances are that she is also a… a witch. Okay, I said it, it is official. I will just have to make sure that nobody reads this in my lifetime. Maybe many years from now it will fall into the hands of another good witch and my experiences will help her to accept who she is. And hopefully my beloved daughter will read this one day and know her mother more intimately."

"Piper…"

The voice in her ear was soft but nevertheless she jumped out of the chair like someone had poked her with a needle.

"Hey, easy. It's just me…"

When Piper calmed herself she found herself looking into the beautiful eyes of her boyfriend Leo. Just looking at him made her legs go soft. And when he pulled her in tight to kiss her hello she melted completely. He always took her breath away and she liked that feeling.

"Hi… Sorry about before, didn't mean to scare you."  
"What? Uh…. Oh that's okay…"

Piper smiled at him. It was amazing how just one kiss from Leo could make her forget about absolutely everything else around her. She sometimes wondered if she had a similar effect on him.

"So what were you reading?, you seemed pretty into it."

With a lot of effort Piper pulled herself out of Leo world and back to reality…

"Oh, it's an old diary from 1842. The author is a witch named Lisa Emmerick."

"Really? How did you get it?"

"It was in a box of stuff I bought at a garage sale."

"Do you think it was a coincidence that you got it?"  
"I don't know yet, but I don't think so… If it was, it's a pretty big coincidence, don't you think?"

"Maybe, but not everything that happens to you is cosmically related you know, coincidences do happen you know!"

"Yes I know that."

"Hey, are we still on for tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, dinner, a movie! You know, normal stuff!"

"Oh Leo, can I take a rain check on that? I really wanna keep reading this, it kindda sucks you in and doesn't let go."  
"Sure, no problem, we'll go another night."

"Great, and you're not upset?"  
"No, it's fine really."  
There was a very soft chiming noise in the kitchen and Leo looked up. Piper knew well enough by now what that meant.

"See, you have to work anyway…"  
"I´ll talk to you later. Bye."

Leo kissed Piper on her forehead and orbed out before her eyes. In the beginning she had found the orbing thing a bit disconcerting, but by now she was used to it.

"Hey Piper, what are you doing home?"  
Piper startled at Phoebes voice. She hadn't even heard her enter the Manor. This was definitely not a good place to read, she kept getting interrupted.

"Hey Phoebs… Oh, I took the day of…"  
"You did? Why, are you sick?"

Piper laughed. Why was it that everyone always assumed that she was sick when she did something spontaneous? She didn't really feel like answering that…

"No I'm not sick, just lacking some peace and quite to read."  
"Read? What are you reading?"

"Ask Prue, I wanna get on with this."  
Piper picked up the book and left the room before Phoebe could stop her. On her way up the stair she heard Phoebes feeble protests.

"_Okay… I´ll just entertain myself then… I didn't want to talk to you anyway…_"

* * *

The day had flown by in a flash. Piper had hardly left her room the entire day except to go to the bathroom and to eat once in a while. The diary was really interesting. Lisa was a witch, no doubt about that. She talked a lot about her powers and what spells she had cast. But then suddenly it turned around and all she ever talked about was some storybook she had bought for her daughter.

She went on about the thing for over twenty pages, and then suddenly…

__

"…But there is something strange about the book. Maybe it is just my mind playing tricks on me, but it seems that the book keeps changing every time we read in it.

I found some sort of inscription all the way in the back this morning, but I didn't have time to check it out. Maybe I should find the book and look at it now. I am all alone in the house, so I have time…"

And that was it. Deadstop. No more entries and the book was only half full. Piper found that odd. Then she remembered the storybook that had been in the box… Could it be the same one Lisa had talked about?

She put the book down and got out of bed. It was dark outside and Piper checked her watch. It was after midnight, she had completely lost track of the time…

The house was still and she assumed that Phoebe and Prue were sleeping. So very silently she snuck down to the kitchen and turned on the lights.

The books were still in the pile where she had left them… She found the storybook and opened it. Of course there was no way of knowing if this was the same one that Lisa had talked about. Oh wait, maybe there was. She had talked about an inscription in the back. Piper flipped to the back and there it was, inside the back cover. It was written in very small print so she held the book close as to better see. It looked like a children's rhyme of some sort. The house was eerily still, so to keep herself company she read out loud:

**__**

This is the story of me, 

For one and all to see.

I give you my spirit and body to command,

I will follow as your words spell out your every demand.

Give me wings to enter a world of power, adventure and strife,

Make this book the story of my life!

As Piper spoke the last word a light emerged from the book. It soon engulfed her entire body and she felt a tingling all over. Then there was only darkness…

* * *

Bib, bib… Phoebe reached out to shut of the alarm-clock and nearly smashed it in the process. 07.00. AM. This was torture… After she had started going to school again, the days where she had the luxury of sleeping in were numbered.

With a lot of effort Phoebe pulled herself out of bed and trotted downstairs into the kitchen.

She smelled coffee, god bless Piper for being a morning person… But when she entered the kitchen it wasn't Piper that was holding the coffee-pot, it was Prue.

"Morning Phoebs. Coffee?"

"Uh, yes please. Thank you."

Prue poured her little sister a cup and fetched the paper from the counter.

"You're up early this morning…"

"I'm hunting actors, you have to get up early for that."  
"Still trying to get a shot of that sleazeball from yesterday huh?"

"Yeah, and I think I got him this time."

"Where's Piper?"  
"Don't know, still sleeping I guess."

"Must have had a late night with that book."

"Uh huh, she was really into that. What about you, nine o´ clock classes?"

"Yup."

"Look at the time. I´d better be of, I've got an actor to catch…"

"Good Luck."

"Thank you…"

* * *

When Piper came to a small dog was licking her face. Annoyed she waved the dog away. She looked around and studied her surroundings. She was lying in a pile of hay in what looked like barn.

The last thing she remembered was standing in the kitchen. She had been reading the inscription in the back of the book, a light had surrounded her, then darkness… This was very strange.

She decided to take a look outside the barndoors. It was a beautiful sunny day and Piper was looking at a big farm.

"This looks familiar somehow…" she mused. She took another good look around and suddenly it hit her where she had seen this before.

"Uh oh…" The book, she was in the storybook. But how could that be? She hadn't done anything, except…

"_HELLO_, witch check…" The inscription, it must have been a spell. God, she of all people should know the dangers of reading strange rhymes outloud…

"_It's quiet_, _have to keep myself company_… And now I'm in the _freaking book_!!!

Okay, stay calm Piper… Prue and Phoebe will find a way to save you… But they don't even know I'm here… Oh God, I'm doomed…"

"**_Piper, are you just going to stand there all day_**?"

She turned around to see where the voice was coming from. An older man was approaching her with a big smile on his face.

"What? Sorry, do I know you?"

"Don't play games with me girl, we don't have time for that sort of thing, and you know it."

"I'm sorry, I'm not sure I know what you're talking about. Who are you?"

"Did you hit your head darling. You mean to tell me you don't remember your old dad."

Piper must have looked like one big question mark. Then she remembered the last part of the rhyme: _Make this book the story of my life! _She had been put into the book as the main character and everyone in it knew her. But as Piper the farm girl and not Piper the club-owner/witch…

"Are you okay darling?, you look a bit pale."

"Actually I'm not feeling that well…"

"Why don't you go into the house and have a little lie down. Your sister is making soup, you can have a bowl when she is done, that should help."

"Okay, thank you." 

"Hey…"

As she was about to leave the man who called himself her father pulled her in close for a hug. He lovingly stroked her hair and kissed her forehead as he released her. Tears came to Pipers eyes and she struggled to keep them back. This was exactly the kind of attention she sometimes missed from her real father. And this person she really didn't know was doing it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You go on darling. I´ll finish your work in the stables, and you can rest."

Piper smiled at this sweet man and decided she'd better play along until she had some sort of plan.

"Thanks dad."

She left him behind and went up to what looked like the main house. He had mentioned something about her sister, and she wondered for a short moment if maybe Prue or Phoebe could be here. When she entered the house and saw a young woman with blond hair working over an old-fashioned stove she dismissed the idea immediately. She took a deep breath and dove right into it…

"Hey, soup smells great. Dad said I could have a bowl when you finished, so I thought that maybe I could help you with some…"

Piper stopped mid-sentence. The girl was looking at her like she was a stranger.

"Who are you?"

"You mean you don't know me?"

"No, are you new to the book?"  
"You know about the book?"

"Yes, I have been trapped here for many, many years."

"Well I just got here, but the man outside knew my name, he thought he was my dad."

"He is just a character in the book, only real people trapped here know that this isn't real."

"You mean there are others?"

"There were, but they are all dead now. I am the only one left, and only because I learned ways to avoid the book keeper."

"The book keeper?"

"Ah yes, there is much I must tell you. But first, let me introduce myself. My name is Lisa."

"Hi, I'm Piper… Wait a minute? Lisa… Lisa Emmerick?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I have your diary, that's how I learned about the storybook."

"Oh, I am sorry Piper, then it is my fault that you are here…"

"No, I was just stupid."

"Well, in any case you are here now and there is a lot I must tell you. Have a seat…"

* * *

Finally, Prue thought. The hunt had been a success and she had gotten the pictures she needed. Now all she had to do was to get them developed and pick the best one to present to her boss. Her deadline had been extended to tomorrow afternoon, so she had plenty of time.

The ringing of her cell-phone made her jump a bit. She hated talking when she was driving and tried to avoid it whenever possible. But since they had become witches the Halliwell sisters had a lot of emergencies and the cell-phone was a must for all of them…

"Hello?"

"Prue Halliwell?"

"Yes, who is this?"

"This is Kelly from P3, the new assistant manager. Piper gave me your number for emergencies. I'm sorry to bother you, but I have been trying to get a hold of Piper and I can't seem to find her anywhere."

"She didn't come in to work today?"

"No, and we really need her."  
"Did you try the house?"

"Yes, I tried five times and I let it ring through every time."  
"That's strange… I´ll look into it okay. In the meantime, can you hold up the fort at P3 alone?"

"Sure, I´ll do my best."

"Thanks, I´ll call you when I know something."

A few minutes after she had finished the call Prue pulled up in front of the Halliwell Manor. Piper's car was still in the driveway, so chances were she was at home. So why didn't she answer the phone?

"_PIPER_…" Prue yelled out as she entered the house. She was a bit worried, this was **_so not_** like her sister, missing work, not answering the phone when it rang… Something had to be wrong here.

"_PIPER_…" Still no answer. Prue looked around. Piper's jacket was on the coat-rack and her purse was on the table… She ran upstairs and checked her room. The bed wasn't made, and Piper always made her bed before she left the house. She ran back downstairs into the kitchen. Maybe she had left a note or something, maybe…

Prue stopped dead in her tracks, she had knocked over one of the books from Pipers junk box. By pure reflex she picked it up. It was opened on page one and something immediately caught her eye…

"Oh my God…"

* * *

Phoebe was wide awake. She was sitting in social studies class and she was determined not ever to disrupt the class again like she had the other day. But of course that was not to be, because just as she thought that a loud bib, bib noise sounded in the class. It took her a while to realize that the noise came from her bipper… Great, just what I need, she thought.

"Miss Halliwell, it would appear that you are bipping."

"Yes, sorry about that, one moment…"

She smiled awkwardly at the professor and picked up her bipper. It was Prues calling signal and she pressed once to read the message: "_BoS, 911… Get home now…"_ BoS… Book of Shadows… Great, demon emergency, just what she needed now. But Prue wouldn't page her unless it was really important, so she started to gather her books right away as she addressed the professor.

"I am **_SO_** sorry, but I have to go right away, family emergency…"

She ran out of the class before he had time to stop her or even respond to what she had said.

* * *

Prue was panicking. And normally it took a lot to freak her out, but right now she was totally freaked. How the HELL did Piper get in that book, and just how were they going to get her out again?

She looked at her watch and hoped that Phoebe would be home soon, because she felt very alone right now. At that moment the front door slammed.

"PRUE?"

"In the kitchen…"

Phoebe entered the room looking somewhat stressed and maybe even a bit upset.

"This better be life and dead, because this it the second time now that I…"

She stopped talking immediately when she saw the expression on her sisters face.

"Piper is in trouble…"

* * *

Piper was eating a bowl of chicken soup while she was listening to Lisa's story… 

Lisa had been telling her all about this book keeper. He was some sort of demon and when you got trapped in the book he could rewrite the story you were in and make all sorts of things happen.

"So, how long have you been a witch Piper?"

"How do you know I am a witch?"

"Because the book keeper only traps good witches in the book to steal their powers. You can't even get in the book if you are not a witch…"

"The inscription or the spell or whatever, it only works when you are a witch?"

"Exactly. I don't know how, but the book always seems to find the witches."

"So maybe it wasn't a coincidence that I got the book…"

Piper thought about this for a moment. Maybe she had been set up…, but how could that be? No, perhaps she had just been drawn to that box because she was a witch… Without knowing it Piper was fiddling with the necklace she had also gotten from the box.

"Hey, my necklace…"

Piper looked up as Lisa spoke the words. She then looked down at the blue pendant in her hands.

"Oh, this is yours too? I should have known…" Piper was about to take of the necklace and give it back. But Lisa held up her hands and gestured for her to stop…

"No, no. You keep it, it looks better on you anyway."

"Thank you…"

The door opened and their "father" entered. He looked at Piper and smiled…

"You look like you're feeling better."

"Yes I am. The soup helped a bit."

"Good, then you are well enough to go to the castle tomorrow."

"The castle?"

"Yes, it's time for the monthly supply run again. I would send Lisa, but I need her here, so you will have to go this time Piper…"

"Oh, okay." Piper thought it better to just play along, she didn't want to arouse any more suspicion than she had in the beginning.

"Well, I will just go and wash up and then I think I will have a bowl of that soup."

The man smiled and left the girls alone as he went into the other room…

"Oh no Piper, you have to go to the castle…" Lisa sounded worried.

"Well what is that about anyway?"

"The castle is where the book keeper is the strongest, and it is also the only place where he can be defeated. Many of the witches that came here have tried, and that is also where they all die. On the way there as you near the castle his power will grow. You will encounter many different types of obstacles and if you make it to the castle that means he thinks you are worthy of him stealing your powers."

"You have to take a test to have you powers stolen?"

"Yes, and the only way to survive is to let him take them. If you try to fight him you will die. That is how I survived, I let him take my powers."

"Well what if you just don't pass the test on purpose?"

"Oh no. You have to try you best to pass the test. If you do not pass it he will kill you."

"Oh, okay, bad plan… So I pass the test, he steals my powers… Then what?"

"Then he lets you live in the book forever…"

"What? But I don't want to live here, I want to go home…"

"It's not so bad here Piper. And it's either that or dying."

"There has to be another way out. And if there is I will find it…"

* * *

"It's hopeless, I can't find anything."

Prue had been looking through the Book of Shadows for the past hour now while Phoebe was studying the storybook trying to memorize the plot.

"There has to be something in there Prue, keep looking."

Prue looked frustrated, this was like finding a needle in a haystack. And they had no idea what the needle looked like.

"What about you, did you find out anything about the plot of the story."

"Yeah I did. Luckily Piper is still stuck on page one."

"Why is that lucky."

"Well… Listen to the plot of the story. A young girl lives on a farm with her father and sister. Far away from the farm there is a castle. On this castle a demon lives, and the farmers have to pay tribute to him every month. The young girl is sent to the castle to pay the tribute. On the way there the girl faces all sorts of nasty challenges that nearly kill her every time. When she finally get to the castle she battles with the demons to free herself and her family. But she is to weak for him and the demon kills her…"

"And let me guess, Piper is that young girl?"

"Yes, and the story is changing as she gets different instructions. Right now she is still in the beginning, but according to the narrator text the father has just asked her to go to the castle in the morning. But I don't know how fast time moves in there…"

"So we have to get her out of there as soon as possible."

"That would be good…"

There was a soft chiming noise in the kitchen and then a shimmering, and Leo appeared in front of them.

"LEO, great timing. Piper is in trouble, we could use your help."

"I know, that's why I'm here."

Phoebe was relieved. He knew what was going on, maybe that meant that he had some useful information from the people upstairs. Prue was hopeful to.

"Do you have some information that could help us? I've been looking through the Book of Shadows, but I haven't been able to find anything."

"The demon you're looking for is named **_Ralow_**, that's all I know."

Prue was already flipping through the pages again and Phoebe went over to look over her shoulder.

"Ralow, that sounds so familiar… I think I saw something… Here it is: _Ralow, lord of the fantasy realm. Known as the Book Keeper. Ralow lives in the living realm but controls the written world by rewriting his storybooks. When he manages to trap a witch in one of those books he can steal her powers by altering the story-line to her disadvantage._"

"So he basically just makes up bad stuff as he goes along…" Phoebe suddenly got an idea… "Can't we do that too from here? I mean rewrite the story in Pipers favour? It is a magical book and we are witches."

"I don't see how. I'm not a writer, and neither are you. What if we panic and can't think of the right thing to write. We could make it worse for her."

Phoebe had a mischievous look on her face. She took the Book of Shadows from Prue and started flipping through the pages.

"I think I have a way to solve that problem and at the same time clear up an earlier mystery." She stopped and pushed the book back in front of Prue and pointed to the page.

"The creativity spell…" Prue smiled and looked at her sister… 

* * *

The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the grass was green. All in all a perfect day in fantasy land. Piper was of to the castle feeling somewhat like Dorothy going to see the wizard.

"_Follow the yellow-brick road_…" She muttered under her breath. So when do I run into the tin-man she wondered to herself…

"**STOP**."

Piper almost dropped the basket she was carrying. Right in front of her was standing a giant talking brown bear.

"_I think this may be my first test_…" Piper muttered to herself

* * *

"Okay, so here's the plan. Prue, you and Leo go in search of Ralow here in the "living realm" and kick some demon butt… When Piper is out of the book you burn all his books just in case… I´ll stay here, do the creativity spell and write the blockbuster of the century."

"Great, but how do we find Ralow?"

Phoebe smiled, flipped through the Book of Shadows and ripped out a page and handed it to Prue.

"Locator spell… Oh yeah, that could work, thanks…"

"You're welcome, now of you go, and good luck…"

"Good luck to you too, try not to get writers block."

"Ha, ha, very funny…"

Prue and Leo left and Phoebe turned her attention to the creativity spell…

"Okay, let's see here… I need thyme, fresh ginger and shiscandra root… Okay, great, we have that…" Phoebe got up and gathered her surplices. She followed the instructions and put everything in the black pot they used as a cauldron. She studied the spell, all she had to do was insert the word for the kind of creativity she wished for and that was it. She started chanting:

**__**

Oh masters of the earth and sky,

Unbind me and make my mind fly.

Give me the tools I need to unleash my soul,

From now and until it is now again,

I will Write with ease and see my goal.

As she uttered the last word there was a "puff" in the cauldron and smoke rose from it. Phoebe was used to this kind of stuff by now, so she just waved away the smoke and looked into the cauldron. There was something in there, but it wasn't the herbs. She reached down and picked it up. It looked like a normal no. 2 pencil, the kind she used on exams. She smiled to herself.

"_Cool_, magic pencil…" 

* * *

The bear was quite big and Piper didn't like this one bit. But she tried to look fearless as she approached it.

"I have to get to the castle, please get out of my way."

"No." The bear answered in a firm deep voice. "You have to fight me first to get by me."

"Fight you, but you're twice my size."

"That's not my problem."

The bear lurched for her and by pure reflex Piper held up her hands to freeze time. The bear froze in time in front of her.

"That was easy…" Maybe to easy she thought. All the tests couldn't be that easy, could they?

* * *

Prue was in the car with Leo. She was driving while he was holding the map. The locator spell had been easy enough. It had pointed out a spot on the map, somewhere in the outer edges of town. None of them knew what was located there.

"Make a left on third."

Prue followed Leos instructions. She glanced sideways at him. He looked worried. Piper was lucky to have a man like that in her life, and sometimes Prue was even a little envious of what the two of them had together. But she was happy for Piper, she deserved it more than anyone else she knew.

"How long till we're there?"

"I don't know, maybe half an hour, less if you exceed the speed limit."

"Don't worry Leo, we'll save her."

"I know…"

* * *

Phoebe was eager to test out her magic pencil. So she opened the book and found the page Piper was on… She was already on page four and had just taken care of her first obstacle. The narrator's box was empty and Phoebe started writing in her best handwriting: "_Piper… Piper, this is Phoebe, can you hear me_?" She looked at the picture and saw that Piper was looking around with a startled look on her face. She nodded her head and said something, but Phoebe couldn't hear it…

Of course she thought, then she wrote: "_The characters can interact with the narrator for the rest of the story… Piper, try talking to me again…"_

There was a pause, but then: _"Phoebe?… Phoebe is it really you?" _Phoebe smiled to herself and sighed in relief.

__

"Yes Piper, it's me. I used the creativity spell to get access to the story. Listen to me, Prue and Leo are on their way to find this Book Keeper dude…"

"Yes I know about him. Lisa told me about him. You know, Lisa Emmerick, I had her diary. She is trapped in this book also."

"Okay… Listen Piper, my job is just to stall until Prue and Leo figure something out. Help is on the way okay, you just have to hold on…"

"Okay, but I could use some help here besides you. Any chance you could write Lisa in the story with me here."

"Hold on, one moment…"

Phoebe flipped back to the first page. A blond haired girl was on it and she assumed that was Lisa… She started writing.

__

"Lisa decided that it was to dangerous for her "sister" to go to the castle alone, so she joined her on her trip…"

She disappeared from the page in an instant and Phoebe turned back to the page where Piper was. Lisa was there… Cool…

* * *

Piper waited while Phoebe was of doing whatever it was she was doing. She was a bit curious as to how Phoebe had managed to get access to rewrite the book. But then again Phoebes ingenious ideas when it came to witchcraft always did amaze her.

Suddenly Lisa appeared out of thin air beside Piper. She looked startled and confused. And who could blame her really.

"Piper, how did I get here."

"One of my sisters got access to the book, she is rewriting it to help me while my other sister and boyfriend are trying to find the book keeper and destroy him. I asked her to write you in with me here so you could help me."

"Oh…" Lisa still looked baffled.

"If you're not comfortable with this I can get her to write you back. But I could really use both the company and the help."

"No, that's okay, I´ll help. If we have that much help on the outside we might even stand a chance."

"That's what I'm counting on."

"_Piper…"_

"Yes, Phoebe, I'm still here, thanks for sending Lisa."

__

"You're welcome. Now you have to get to that castle, I´ll help you both along the way…"

"Okay, we're on our way." Piper looked at Lisa, she still looked like a big question mark.

"Was that your sister speaking?"

"Yes it was, and she will get us out of here… Now let's go, the wizard is waiting for us… Maybe he'll give me some courage…"

"What?"

"Never mind…"

* * *

20 minutes later Prue and Leo pulled up in front of an old deserted warehouse.

"Is this it?" Prue looked at Leo in surprise.

"It has to be, it's the only building on this street. Plus it's deserted. I doubt a demon would move into a populated neighbourhood."  
"Right, not really big partyanimals." Prue paused a moment and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's go then." 

They both got out of the car at the same time and approached the warehouse. Prue tried to push the door open but it was locked. She looked at Leo but he just shrugged and said: "Perhaps we should just knock."

"I have a better idea." Prue held out her hand against the door and with her mind she pushed in the lock. The door opened in front of them.

"Okay, that works too."

"That's why Phoebe sent me with you instead of going herself. Plus she has a better and more vivid imagination then I do."

Leo smiled at her and they entered. The warehouse was silent to the point of being eerie. When on the inside, it was built like a long hallway with different doors on each side. Prue looked at Leo.

"From an end?"

"Looks like that's the only way."

They cautiously open each door expecting Ralow to be inside each time. But he never was. All they found were different storybooks set up at a workspace. The fifth door they entered was filled with TV-screens all showing the different rooms.

Prue quickly counted them, there were 42 screens each with a different room and storybook on it. Book Keeper indeed, busy little demon, wasn't he? 

"This looks like some sort of central command."

"Yes, how are we ever gonna find him here?"

"Start checking out the screens from an end I guess." Leo nodded at the idea and they started from each their end. It didn't take long before Prue heard Leos voice call out from the other end.

"Prue, come take a look at this."

Prue went over to stand at his side and at first she was taken aback at what she saw. A huge demon with sharp ridges on his neck and spikes sticking out of his head was on the screen. This had to be Ralow, and he was working at the story Piper was in.

"I think we have a winner…"

"So what do we do now?"

"Well as long as he is in that room, he wont know we are here. I say we look for some clue as to what could destroy him. And we might as well start here…"

* * *

Piper and Lisa were walking through the forest in silence. They had been walking for a long time without any disturbances or weird tests and Piper was starting to get tired.

"How far is it to this castle anyway?"

"No far any more, we should be there soon."

"No more tests? This is too easy."

"**_Halt, who goes there_**?"

A big guy in a very bad costume was standing right in front of them. He looked like on of those ancient magicians with the big tophat and everything. What was the name of that guy in the stories? Merlin? 

"_I really have to learn to keep my big mouth shut_." Piper mumbled under her breath. Lisa obviously knew who he was...

"Great Lord of the elements, we need to get to the castle. It is of utmost importance, please do not stand in our way."

"You know the rules. Anyone who passes must prove to be worthy of the great master..."

He held his hands up in the air and chanted something in a language Piper didn't understand. Thunder and lightning broke from the sky. It ignited a bolt of fire that spread around Piper and Lisa. Before long the whole forest was in flames around them.

"PHOEBE!" Piper cried out...

"_I'm on it, just a minute_..."

The flames moved in closer. Piper was very hot and the smoke from the flames was nearly suffocating her.

All of a sudden the sky turned dark and rain started pouring down... It took a minute or so, but the rain put out the fire eventually. Then it stopped, but by that time they were all drenched. The magician guy looked baffled.

"Great ladies, my apologies. Your powers obviously exceed mine by far. Please continue on your quest. I wish you luck."

"Thank you..." Piper said with an annoyed undertone as she trotted past him with Lisa right behind her.

"Phoebe, could you please do something about these wet clothes?"

A moment passed and suddenly Piper and Lisa were dry again just like that...

"Thank you..."

* * *

Something was wrong. They were getting through much to effortlessly. Someone else must be rewriting the story and if that was the case he would never defeat them when they got to the castle. He would have to make the tests harder. He would just kill them before they could kill him. 

Yes, that was what he would do. Ralow smiled to himself and started writing...

* * *

Phoebe was really starting to enjoy this magic pencil. If she had something like this on a daily basis she would write a juicy romance novel with herself as the main character... Oh well, this was no time to let you mind wander... She looked back in the book to see what was going on with Piper and Lisa.

They were just walking along minding their own business and suddenly out of the blue a pack of wolves appeared and surrounded them. Piper tried to freeze them but it didn't appear to work. Phoebe heard Piper calling out her name for help... 

"Okay, no problem…" Phoebe put the pencil to paper and started to write. Just then the pencil broke…

"Oh no… Quick, magic pencil sharpener…" Phoebe frantically searched the draws until she found a pencil sharpener. She almost broke it again because she was so stressed out. Finally she was ready again.

"Okay, got it… Here we go…" She thought she should do something creative with the thing. So she made the wolves afraid of human sweat, she knew she would be sweating like a pig if that was her in there surrounded by wolves. And sure enough it worked and the wolves retreated.

__

"What the hell happened? What took you so long?"

"The pencil broke, I had to sharpen it first, sorry..."

"Please try not to break it again..."

* * *

Prue and Leo had been searching the room high and low for what seemed like an eternity now. Finally Prue had found an old book that did not look like a storybook. She opened it and started flipping through the pages.

"LEO, I think I got it. Come look at this."

Leo came over and looked over her shoulder as Prue read to him:

"It says here that the only way a Book Keeper can be destroyed is if a witch fights him from his location in the living realm at the same time as a witch trapped in the fantasy realm. The witch in the fantasy realm must be in the castle while reciting the following... Uh, better not read that outloud just yet..."

"Well great, all we have to do now is get the message to Piper. Just call Phoebe on your cell-phone and she can write it into the story."

"Bad idea Leo. If I called her I would have to say the rhyme over the phone... No, I have a better idea. Just give me a minute."

Prue quickly memorized the rhyme and then she concentrated on the Manor and on Phoebe. Her head feel down and she felt dissy as her body astral projected across town to her sister.

Phoebe was sitting at counter with the storybook in front of her and a pencil in her hand. She jumped a bit when Prue appeared in front of her.

"Prue, you scared the living daylights out of me..."

"We don't have much time, listen to me..."

* * *

It had not been long since Piper and received the message from Phoebe. She had written a note into the story for Piper to find. It had instructions on it about what to do. She only had to get to the castle and wait for Phoebes signal to begin the chanting.

Now she was looking at an enormous building looming in front of them. She turned to Lisa.

"I'm guessing this is it?"

"Yes…"

"Okay, let's go then. We know what to do."

* * *

"Okay, Piper has been informed. We need to get in position now... We don't have much time left..."

Prue and Leo left the control room and tried to find the room with Ralow in it. It didn't take long before they found him. He turned around as they entered the room. Prue flung him into a wall before he could do anything.

"Read any good books lately..."

* * *

Piper and Lisa had been running through the castle for a while now and Piper was starting to panic. At any moment now Phoebe could give the signal and she wasn't ready. 

"Piper, here..." Lisa called out to her, she had found a hidden door. When they entered the room the saw what could only be Ralow. Apparently he was present here to, very present...

* * *

Phoebe was looking nervously at her watch... It was almost time now and Piper was finally in position. The pencil was sharp and Phoebe was ready. The seconds seemed like minutes as she stared at her watch. Then finally...

"PIPER, NOW!"

* * *

Piper was standing right in front of Ralow when she heard Phoebes voice. She unfolded the little note and started chanting.

****

Keeper of darkness, master of evil,

Bend to our power and obey our will...

* * *

****

We strip you of power in fantasy and life,

We lift your influence on war and strife.

Go away and leave no trace,

Let all memory of you be erased...

Prue finished the chant and Ralow burst into flames in a screaming frenzy. Then his body imploded and a pile of ashes were all that were left.

Both her and Leo went over to look inside the book where Piper was still standing. But now she was on the very last page...

* * *

Lisa hugged Piper. She looked very happy and Piper was feeling quite good herself now.

"You did it, you saved us."

"Yeah, well, with a little help."

__

"Piper, are you okay?"

"Yes Phoebe, I'm fine."

__

"I think it's time for you to come home now, I'm writing you out of the story..."

"Give me a minute." She turned and looked at Lisa. "You could come with me you know. You only missed a 150 years, that could be compensated for, you can learn..."

"No Piper, it is not my time. I will stay here. The man who calls himself our father is a good man, I will be happy here... Take this book we are in and keep it. Burn the rest of Ralows books and remember me every once in a while..."

"I will..." She hugged Lisa goodbye and called out.

* * *

"_Phoebe, I'm ready to leave."_

"Is Lisa coming to?"

"No, she's staying here."

"Okay, hold on a moment..."

Phoebe tried to think of a good way to end the story. After a moment she started writing: "_The heroin had completed her task and saved all the people of the land from the evil lord. Everyone in the land lived happily ever after and the heroine returned to the place where she had come from... The END..."_

As Phoebe put the last dot on her work a puff sounded in the kitchen and Piper appeared beside her. She stood up and hugged her sister.

"Uh, I'm so glad you're back... We were so worried."

"So was I..."

The phone rang and Phoebe went over to pick it up...

"Hello... Yeah she's right here, she's fine..."

"Tell them to bring back the book I was in and burn the rest..."

"Did you hear that?... Okay, see you soon, bye..."

* * *

Half an hour later Piper was sitting in the living room relaxing on the couch with Phoebe when they heard the front door open. Seconds later Prue and Leo entered the room. Prue rushed over to hug her sister.

"Piper thank god, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, don't worry."

Leo was standing in the background smiling at her. She went over to him and they hugged and kissed.

"Did you get the book for me?" Piper asked.

"Yes, it's in the car, I´ll get it for you later."

"Thank you, although I think I'm turned of reading for a while now..."

Prue had been so caught up in saving her sister that she had forgotten about everything else... Now that Piper was back she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh my god Piper, I totally forgot. Kelly from P3 called looking for you this morning..."

"Oh no, I've been missing for two days now without explanation, what'll I tell her..."

Phoebes face suddenly lithe up as she looked at her sister.

"Maybe I can write a note for you. I think my magic pencil still works..."

They all looked at Phoebe for a while and then they all started laughing...

****

The End...

   [1]: mailto:SandieDax@mail.dk



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